MP3s / iPods - help needed please!

[Boxy]

Mrs B's birthday Friday and she wants an iPod or MP3. Now, these are one of the few gadgets I know nothing about so your help would be appreciated. I'm still in Walkman mode - remember them - and as I'm constantly being annoyed by people on the train whose "generic" music players can be heard in the next carriage I've never moved on. So:
difference between MP3s and ipods?
how much for a decent one?
any particular make/model recommended?
What's an MP4?
What accessories are essential/desirable?
Any other tips??

Thanks in anticipation

[MickLL]

I'm no expert but I do own one that was bought as a gift for me. It's a Creative Zen Stone (or a similar combination of words). It holds the equivalent of about 10 long playing records (I'm a classical rather than 'pop' fan so the usual measure of 'tracks' is fairly meaningless to me.

It cost less than £30 and I'm happy with it although its small size makes it a little fiddly to use.

I understand that the ipod is just the Apple version of the MP3 player.

MickLL

[Bettina]

Now, Mrs B. mentioned she wants an "iPod" or a an "MP3" player. Okay. She probably wants an iPod and will be dissapointed if she gets another brand. An iPod is an MP3 player. Well, where to start. Does she want to view pictures and films on it? Consider an iPod touch - latest iPod with big screen and internet access but not lots of capacity or the iPod 5.5 gen - which can go up to 80GB in storage (I've got it, comes in either black or white). Accessories - there are some loudspeakers available and also consider buying a pouch for it so it doesn't get scratched. There's also the iPod nano - but it's very very small.

[Boxy]

Now, Mrs B. mentioned she wants an "iPod" or a an "MP3" player. Okay. She probably wants an iPod and will be dissapointed if she gets another brand. An iPod is an MP3 player. Well, where to start. Does she want to view pictures and films on it? Consider an iPod touch - latest iPod with big screen and internet access but not lots of capacity or the iPod 5.5 gen - which can go up to 80GB in storage (I've got it, comes in either black or white). Accessories - there are some loudspeakers available and also consider buying a pouch for it so it doesn't get scratched. There's also the iPod nano - but it's very very small.

Not picture/videos as far as I know, just the ability to listen to music while travelling, lying on the beach etc so probably no need for speakers either

[Bettina]

Most of them now do pics and vids.

Also, if you buy her and iPod or another MP3 gadget. It would be great of you to have already transferred some of her favourite music onto it. Or at least an album called something like "Greatest Love Songs". Ah.

[Footloose]

I have an 80Gb iPod which I carry in a pouch with a belt-clip on it. I use it to store music on and also a selection of my images. I have yet to find any in-ear headphones that I find comfortable or convenient to use, so I plug into it a pair of BeyerDynamic headphones as they are very solid and use a single rather than the usual 'Y' shaped cable. I used to have one of the Sony Vio(?) Walkmen, which in some respects I found had a better user interface. I would suggest you also have a look at the softwear which you will be using on your PC. I find the Sony softwear more user-friendly than that supplied with the iPod.

[john_g]

There are lots of reviews at http://www.trustedreviews.com/mp3/

[dangie]

Quite a coincidence you've just put this post on. I was in the middle of putting more songs onto my wifes Ipod ready for our holidays. Had to have a rest. Got into a right pickle. The one who said Ipod software isn't very user friendly is correct. If you're an 18 year old whizzkid then ok, but for a 57 year old it's too clever for me. I was ok putting the initial batch of songs on some time ago, but adding to them is baffling me. I can get more songs on, but somehow I'm also duplicating songs that are already there, and I don't know how to get rid of them without deleting the original as well. Adding to it all is that I've got a small Ipod as well with different songs on. Now most of those have gone to the wifes Ipod as well. Somehow Westlife and Motorhead don't mix too well...!!!
I've taken the bull by the horns and deleted the whole lot and started again from fresh. If this doesn't work I'll wait until next doors seven year old comes home from school to do it for me.

[Hotblack]

I use a Creative Zen Sleek MP3 player. It's now been superceded by the Zen Vision, IIRC. Excellent player. 20Gb is enough to hold over 350 albums worth of music. You may find a smaller hard drive (5-8Gb) more suitable. The creative software is simple to use and ripping tracks from Cd to the player and a backup on the PC is simple.

Prices for a 4gb Zen player start at about £55 up to about £300 for a top of the range 30Gb Vision that plays HDD video 2.5 inch screen and all the bells and whistles you never knew you needed.

difference between MP3s and ipods?

Nothing really. The iPod is the Hoover of the vacuum cleaner world.

What's an MP4?

Video IIRC

What accessories are essential/desirable?

You may want a case to protect it (I don't bother personaly) or a travel charger possibly. A good set of headphones usually helps the sound reproduction. The supplied ones are usually naff. I use a set of Sennheiser PX100s as recommended on here to me by others. Excellent for the money (about £15 - they were about £30 or more originally). I can't recommend any 'in-ear' phones as I don't like them so don't know what's available.

[Mark101]

i pods I'm still using SACD's ,but the backpack and massive battery nearly kills me every time I go out !

[Bettina]

But iTunes is so easy to use.

[TheFatControlleR]

But iTunes is so easy to use.

So's rip/drag/drop on my iRiver...

[Linux_Lady]

From personal experience...

I hate creative software... it's crap, least it was 3 years ago when I had a creative Zen extra - 40Gb.. More like a mini hard drive ... way too chunky to carry to the gym... and I used to drag and drop my music onto it, rather than use the creative software stuff as it was really crap.

Itunes... hrm... really not keen either as I can't burn a lot of the stuff I buy / rip to another CD.. it keeps telling me they are locked or some crap like that - also I wiped my ipod about 4-5 times at the begining trying to sync the bloody thing and change random settings..

I have the nano and I do like it, it's very, very small - it seems to discharge quite quickly and if I don't listen to it for a few weeks, the battery has already gone.. not sure if that means my ipod is cursed.. or that's the way all ipods are..

Blokey has a creative and he loves his... whereas I'm an ipod bird.... mine is bright pink!

[Hotblack]

I hate creative software... it's crap, least it was 3 years ago when I had a creative Zen extra - 40Gb.. and I used to drag and drop my music onto it, rather than use the creative software stuff as it was really crap.

Just because you didn't get on with it doesn't mean it's crap. It just means you didn't get on with it. I find it rather good.

[Benchista]

But iTunes is so easy to use.

You're kidding, surely? I hate iTunes, it's dreadful. And because I've got it (for my daughter's iPod), those &$(&^$)%_*s at Apple keep trying to load Safari back on my machine every time they think I'm not paying attention properly. Nope, the iPod is a nice bit of kit (ALL iPods are nice bits of kit), but IMVHO iTunes is the work of the Devil, and is enough to make me buy something else, probably a Zen as they often seem to be recommended in comparative tests.

[Nod]

I've got a couple of the little Sony things - a 1GB and a 2GB. Hold plenty of tracks/CDs for me for a fortnight away including flights. Long battery life too - recharge via USB or a mains/car - USB adaptor. Some people hate the Sony SoundStage software - I like it. Easy to rip from CD and transfer from the 'puter library to the player. Only problem is that they're both a year or 2 old so no longer available.

BTW, another recommendation for the Sennheiser PX100 'phones. Not as discrete as in-ear ones but the sound is far better (IMO). They don't block as much noise as in-ear ones on flights/noisy beaches but the quality and comport outweigh that slight disadvantage (again, IMO).

[Linux_Lady]

I hate creative software... it's crap, least it was 3 years ago when I had a creative Zen extra - 40Gb.. and I used to drag and drop my music onto it, rather than use the creative software stuff as it was really crap.

Just because you didn't get on with it doesn't mean it's crap. It just means you didn't get on with it. I find it rather good.

Ok.. I'll rephrase...

*I* thought it was crap...

My boyfriend loves creative as a brand, but he doesn't like using their software either so just 'drags and drops' as well He'shad his just over a year and his screen is playing up apparantly... he can't read it all the time..

I'd ask yourself:

1) Where is she most likely to listen to it? gym? on train? walking around? this might denote the size you buy...

2) Is she computer literate and which software do you think she would find easier to use? obviously, there are some conflicting opinions on this... so perhaps have a look at both and see which *you* think is easiest to interact with

3) What kind of headphones do you get with the player, if any... both myself and the boyfriend bought better ones as the ones you get with the players aren't usually that great.

[daft_biker]

ipods look nice but IMO can sound a bit gutless and flat. My little sister likes hers but that's because it's pink and is an ipod As Bettina says if the lady wants an ipod you'd better get her an ipod!

I much prefer my Sony Walkman MP3 player (model NWA-A818). I've got around 25 albums on my 8GB one recorded at the highest bitrate I can and all sync'd through Vista so no need for any 3rd party software

It's still not hifi but in terms of ability to play music (the primary reason for getting it!) I think it's the best of a bad bunch Video on the Sony is also far better than the ipods I've seen.

[ermintrude]

, those &$(&^$)%_*s at Apple keep trying to load Safari back on my machine every time they think I'm not paying attention properly.

errrrrrr...eh? Cant just just set it not to?

[Hotblack]

I've got around 25 albums on my 8GB one recorded at the highest bitrate I can

Andrew, do you play your MP3 through an amplifier then? I find that for day-to-day use where there's lots of extraneous noise (in the car, on the street etc) a lower bitrate rip (128Kbps is, I think, default for many MP3 players)is perfectly adequate (at least, for me) as one is unlikely to hear the full nuances of the music when out and about. That way one can get 100-odd albums on an 8gb player.